Automotive window regulators

ABSTRACT

A window regulator notably for automobiles, of the twin-linktype, characterized in that the links pivoted at one end to the glass-supporting bracket are so actuated that they do not move in parallel relationship in order to cause the glass to follow a curved path.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Pierreventre;

Andre Reilhac. both of Billancourt, France Paris, France .l n e n h s m 0 m M m & y rl n k a m fl, e h KV a a am M V mm MS n y h 7 m w m n PA 9 n 6 8 9 9 1 n 3, W In 6 as u w A M 8 6 a 9 4 l 7 i 2 ll 2 3&7 .ml Iv MFD- y HAHN 333 [ll [54] AUTOMOTIVE WINDOW REGULATORS 'l 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A window regulator notably for automobiles, of the twin-link-type, characterized in that the links pivoted at one end to the glass-supporting bracket are so actuated that they do not move in parallel relationship in order to cause the glass to follow a curved path.

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PATENTED SEP 1 4 |97| SHEET 1 OF 3 PATENIED SEP] 4 I971 SHEET 2 [1F 3 SHEET 3 BF 3 AUTOMOTIVE WINDOW REGULATORS The present invention relates in general to window regulator mechanisms for automobiles and has specific reference to a window regulator of the type comprising a twin link system adapted to move the glass along a curved path, notably in the case of quarter circle windows of automotive vehicles. I

In most instances the glasses of vehicles are movedfrom their closed position to their open position by following a rectilinear path controlled by substantially vertical glass run channels rigid with the body structure of the vehicle. Parallel or crossed arms control this movement through the medium of rollers engaging horizontal channels rigid with the glass.

However, in certain cases it is desirable to cause the glass tomove downwards along a curved path in order to clear body portions and eventually house the glass in. narrow recesses at the end of the downward stroke.

This problem is solved by the arrangement constituting the subject-matter of the present invention which is based on the simple principle of twin motion but wherein the connecting links do not move parallel. to themselves. The glass positively associated with the position of these links in. the-space assumes under these conditions different orientations according. to the scope contemplated. The arrangement according to this invention utilizes notably inaddition to said pair of main links, a complementary link acting as an adjusting pivot, which is formed with a longitudinal. elongated slot receivingv and. guiding an eccentric pin carried by a. pinionmeshing with a toothed wheel rotatably solid with or driven: from the window winding handle.

Various improvements may be brought to the arrangement broadly set forth hereinabove. These improvements relate to-a device for guiding the glass-supporting bracket in atransverse direction and consisting of a. pair of guide rails of' hollow polygonal girder section having a. longitudinal slot formed along one of its main faces,,these guide rails coactingwith' rollers carried by. saidjbracket. One of these rail's has:

either the shape of a circular arc concentric to the axis of rotation of the mainlink when the roller axis is coincident with that'of said mainlink, in.-the case of planar glass;

or the shape of a cone in the case ofa curved glass; the other rail corresponding in shape to the whole or. part of the curve described by the axis ofthe other roller disposed at any suitablepoint on the glass-supporting. bracket.

Other. features. characterizing this invention will appear as the following description proceeds, this description beinggiven by way of illustrationawith' reference to' the attached;

drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustratesthe. winding regulator mechanism according to a first form of embodiment of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the movement of a glass from its uppermost. or closed position to-its lowermostor fully open position in the sameform of embodiment;

FIG. 3' illustrates the mechanism. accordingto: this. invention which comprises certain modifications with respect'to' the structure of FIG. 1 and 2', and" FIG. 4: shows incross-sectional viewa driving roller in its guide rail.

Referringfirst to FIG. 1, it will be seenthatthe window glass regulator for automotive vehicles comprises a main link I having at one end afixed pivotpinlcarried by the mountingplate 3, this link 1 being-on the other hand. rigid with a.toothed wheel 4.rotatably driven from the winding handlepinion Sand. having a movable pivot pin 6.'at its opposite end; this pivot pin dis carried by the 'bracket'7isupporting; or rigid with; the glass 7'. The main link. lmay include a-spiralcompensating-spring;

(notshown). A secondary link.8"which:in'theclosedsposition is substantially parallel to the main-:linkl, hason thesone hand. a movable pivot pin-9 carriedrby a complementary link. 10'

pivotally mounted by meansof'the. pin 2; andlon the other hand a movablelpivot pin 1 1 carried by :the'braek'et'T;

A small toothed wheel 12 journaled on a fixed shaft 13 is in constant meshing engagement with the larger toothed wheel 4 and carries an eccentric pin 14 adapted to oscillate the complementary link 10 by engaging an elongated longitudinal slot 15 formed in said complementary link 10.

This specific form of embodiment of the invention operates as follows:

The winding handle pinion 5 drives the large. toothed whee 4 which drives in turn the main link 1 and the smalltoothed wheel l2v meshing with said wheel 4. This small wheel 12, via the eccentric pin 14 engaging the slot 15, causes the complementary link l0-to which the secondary link 8 is pivoted to assume a more or less inclined position either to the left or to the right, according to the direction of rotation of the driving pinion 5.

Under these conditions, the axis of pivot pin 6 describes a circular are about the fixed axis of pivot pin- 2. Besides, the axis of pin 11 describes a circular are about the movable pivot pin 9. As the bracket 7 is rigid with the glass, the glass is tilted in the direction and with the amplitude controlled by the oscillations of complementary link 10.

Thus, the path obtained is subordinate, without any limitation as toshape, by:

a. the radial position of eccentric pin 14',

b. the initial positionof'this pin,

c. the ratio selected for the diameters of the large toothed wheel: 4 and small toothed wheel 12,

d. the. shape of slot ES.

The curve A A A ..A-, shows the path followed by the same. point of the glass from its uppermost to its lowermost positiorr.

In FIG. 2 the movements of the component elements of the window regulator of this invention are-shown in dash and dot lines,

Thus',.curve B- ,.B,.B},......l-, designates the movement of the upper right-hand point of the glass from the uppermost position-v to. the lowermost position thereof.

Curve C C C "C designates the movement of the movablepivot pin 6=of the' main link on the bracket 7.

Curve. D D D Dydesignated on the other hand the movement ofthe movable pivot pin M of the" secondary link onithebra'cket'.

It will be" noted thatthis device isapplicable to curvedglass. Guide means inthe form of rollers and/or shaped slideways may complete the glassholding already obtained-by means of the weather strips and glass run channels. The improvements illustrated in'v F IGS'. 3 and 4 areas follows:

The window regulator comprises meansfor guiding in the transverse. direction thebracket 7 supporting, the glass 7,, these means comprising; a. pair of guide rail's 16-and 1-7 having apolygonal hollow girder contour or a' contour with rounded sides; formed withalongitudinalslot on one of its main-faces, andassociatedwith rollers l-8and l-9 'carried by the bracket 7.

Therail 16 having either the-shape of a circular are concentric to theaxis of rotation 2 oflthe' main link 1 in the case of a plane glass, withzthe ax-is of'rollers l'8"-coin cident with the axis of said main link l, or'the shape of a cone in the case of a hollow or curved glass.

The rail: [-7 corresponds to'the whole'or part of the curved pathdescribedby. the shaft of rollerl9at any pointof bracket 71 FIG. 4=-showsza drivingz roller 18 contacting without play at 20 the inner faces of rail 16'. The-diameter of the roller supporting shaft 2"] is small enough in relation to the slot 22, and the'outer'diamet'er Ziofthis-rolleris also small enough 'in'relation'to the-inner'width24-ofrail 16; to avoid anyinterferencewith 'therkinem'atic motion resultin'gfrom theoperation of the regulatormechanism. I

The guidinggaction' is-obtained' by means of rollers made preferably of noiseless materialsuch asplastic and are characterizedin that they engage the inner spaceof the groove withoutplay 'butwiththediameterof the driving. shaft 21 and the .outer'diameter of the-rollerproper small enough in relation to the rail section to avoid any interference with the kinematic motion resulting from the operation of the regulator mechanism.

Moreover, with this device an adjustment of the glass tilting movement transversely to its plane of motion can be obtained by displacing either one of the guide rollers or one of the guide rails.

Finally, to avoid a possible tilting torque detrimental notably in case the thrust center is not coincident with the center of gravity of the glass, a tilting torque having a predetermined direction can be created on purpose by means of a resilient system consisting:

either of a tension spring disposed between the bracket engaging end of the main link 1 and a properly selected point of said bracket so that the distance between these two points increases from the closed-window position to the open-window position,

or a resilient member such as a metal cable of the piano wire-type inserted in one of the guide rails in order to urge one of the guide rollers in a predetermined direction.

Of course, various modifications and variations may be brought to the specific forms of embodiment of the present invention which are shown and described herein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

I. A window regulator for automobiles comprising a glasssupporting bracket, winding means having a control pinion, a fixed pivot on said control pinion, a main link having one end connected to said fixed pivot pin to rotate with said control pinion, said main link having its opposite end pivoted to the glass-supporting bracket, a complementary link having one end connected to pivot about the fixed pivot pin of said main link and an elongated aperture formed in the other end of said complementary link, a secondary link having one end pivoted to said glass-supporting bracket and the other end pivotally connected to said complementary link, a pinion rotating about a fixed axis and in constant meshing engagement with the control pinion, an eccentric pin engaging in said aperture and being carried by said pinion, whereby the paths followed by said pivots on the glass-supporting bracket are of different arcs in order to cause glass carried thereby to follow a curved path.

2. A window regulator according to claim 1, wherein said main link comprises a spiral compensating spring.

3. A window regulator according to claim 1, further comprising curved glass mounted in said bracket.

4. A window regulator according to claim 1, further comprising means for guiding said glass-supporting bracket in a transverse direction, said. guiding means comprising a pair of guide rails having a hollow girderlike cross-sectional contour formed with a longitudinal slot along one main face, rollers carried by said bracket engaging in said rails.

5. A window regulator according to claim 4, wherein for flat window glass one rail has the shape of a circular arc concentric to the rotation of the main link with the axis of the rollers being coincident with the axis of rotation of said main link.

6. A window regulator according to claim 4, wherein for curved glass one rail has the shape of a cone with the other rail representing at least part of the curve described by the axis of a second roller disposed on the glass-supporting bracket.

7. A window regulator according to claim 4, wherein said guide rollers are formed of noiseless material and are engaged without play within the corresponding guide rails, the diameter of roller supporting and driving shafts and the outer diameter of the rollers being small enough in relation to the rail cross-sectional dimension to avoid any interference with the kinematic motion resulting from the operation of the regulator.

8. A window regulator according to claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting the tilting movement of the glass transversely to its plane of movement by selectively displacing one of the guide rollers.

9. A window regulator according to claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting the tilting movement of the glass transversely to its plane of movement by selectively displacing one of the guide rails.

10. A window regulator according to claim 4, further comprising resilient means for producing a tilting torque in a predetermined direction, notably in case the center of thrust is not coincident with the center of gravity of the glass.

11. A window regulator according to claim 10, wherein said resilient means comprises a tension spring mounted between the end of the main link which is pivoted to said glass-supporting bracket and a point on said bracket so selected that the distance between these two points increases when the glass moves from its closed position to its open position.

12. A window regulator according to claim 10, wherein said resilient means comprises a metallic cable added in one of said guide rails for constantly'urging one of the guide rollers in a predetermined direction. 

1. A window regulator for automobiles comprising a glasssupporting bracket, winding means having a control pinion, a fixed pivot on said control pinion, a main link having one end connected to said fixed pivot pin to rotate with said control pinion, said main link having its opposite end pivoted to the glass-supporting bracket, a complementary link having one end connected to pivot about the fixed pivot pin of said main link and an elongated aperture formed in the other end of said complementary link, a secondary link having one end pivoted to said glass-supporting bracket and the other end pivotally connected to said complementary link, a pinion rotating about a fixed axis and in constant meshing engagement with the control pinion, an eccentric pin engaging in said aperture and being carried by said pinion, whereby the paths followed by said pivots on the glass-supporting bracket are of different arcs in order to cause glass carried thereby to follow a curved path.
 2. A window regulator according to claim 1, wherein said main link comprises a spiral compensating spring.
 2. A window regulator according to claim 1, wherein said main link comprises a spiral compensating spring.
 3. A window regulator according to claim 1, further comprising curved glass mounted in said bracket.
 4. A window regulator according to claim 1, further comprising means for guiding said glass-supporting bracket in a transverse direction, said guiding means comprising a pair of guide rails having a hollow girderlike cross-sectional contour formed with a longitudinal slot along one main face, rollers carried by said bracket engaging in said rails.
 5. A window regulator according to claim 4, wherein for flat window glass one rail has the shape of a circuLar arc concentric to the rotation of the main link with the axis of the rollers being coincident with the axis of rotation of said main link.
 6. A window regulator according to claim 4, wherein for curved glass one rail has the shape of a cone with the other rail representing at least part of the curve described by the axis of a second roller disposed on the glass-supporting bracket.
 7. A window regulator according to claim 4, wherein said guide rollers are formed of noiseless material and are engaged without play within the corresponding guide rails, the diameter of roller supporting and driving shafts and the outer diameter of the rollers being small enough in relation to the rail cross-sectional dimension to avoid any interference with the kinematic motion resulting from the operation of the regulator.
 8. A window regulator according to claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting the tilting movement of the glass transversely to its plane of movement by selectively displacing one of the guide rollers.
 9. A window regulator according to claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting the tilting movement of the glass transversely to its plane of movement by selectively displacing one of the guide rails.
 10. A window regulator according to claim 4, further comprising resilient means for producing a tilting torque in a predetermined direction, notably in case the center of thrust is not coincident with the center of gravity of the glass.
 11. A window regulator according to claim 10, wherein said resilient means comprises a tension spring mounted between the end of the main link which is pivoted to said glass-supporting bracket and a point on said bracket so selected that the distance between these two points increases when the glass moves from its closed position to its open position.
 12. A window regulator according to claim 10, wherein said resilient means comprises a metallic cable added in one of said guide rails for constantly urging one of the guide rollers in a predetermined direction. 